whimsy

American  

[hwim-zee, wim-] / ˈʰwɪm zi, ˈwɪm- /

Also whimsey

noun

• whimsies
  plural

1. capricious humor or disposition; extravagant, fanciful, or excessively playful expression.

   a play with lots of whimsy.

2. an odd or fanciful notion.

   Synonyms:

   humor, whim, caprice

3. anything odd or fanciful; a product of playful or capricious fancy.

   a whimsy from an otherwise thoughtful writer.

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whimsy British  

/ ˈwɪmzɪ /

noun

1. a capricious idea or notion

2. light or fanciful humour

3. something quaint or unusual

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adjective

1. quaint, comical, or unusual, often in a tasteless way

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• whimsies
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of whimsy

First recorded in 1595–1605; whim(-wham) + -sy

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Explanation

Whimsy is what a person who's a dreamer and out of step with the real world might have lots of. People who are full of whimsy are odd, but often fanciful and lovely, like Harry Potter's friend Luna Lovegood. Whimsy is also a whim — something you do just because you want to. If you find a postcard of Alaska and take that as a reason to move there, that could qualify as whimsy. Whimsy is irrational, but playful. If you decorate your house with whimsy, you may have a wall decorated with butterflies and giant daisies with googly eyes, and a couch trimmed with peacock feathers and vinyl. It's amusing and witty, and you’re a master of whimsy.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

whimsy whimsies

At least one major corporation sees value in bringing whimsy to the payment process too.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 22, 2026

“Wendi has the unique ability to bring nostalgia, whimsy and individuality all together into maximalist style,” she says in an email.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026

Chanel's artistic director Matthieu Blazy leant into the world of whimsy and fantasy with his haute couture collection.

From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026

The simplicity of the tins, their demure size and dainty contents, which often feature organic health foods, are meant to embody whimsy.

From Salon ● May 17, 2026

Observers in the audience have heard the pop and are amazed by the famous actor making a sudden surprise appearance on the stage—perhaps adding some comical whimsy to this very special evening.

From "Lincoln's Last Days: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever" by Bill O'Reilly

But she’s best known as the artist who was the driving force behind Disneyland staple “It’s a Small World,” still today a gleeful diorama dedicated to childlike whimsies from across the globe.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 22, 2022

Suggesting skies, towers and imaginary cities, Zabavskiy demonstrates that his visual whimsies have strong foundations.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 9, 2017

When our debates are no longer resolved by deliberation over reasons, then the whimsies of power will determine the outcome.

From The Guardian ● Aug. 18, 2017

And she in no way, despite her much-expressed gratitude to Donald Davidson, her mentor at Vanderbilt, followed the Agrarians down the path of I’ll Take My Stand and their other neo-Confederate whimsies.

From Slate ● Feb. 3, 2014

I thought this jest low; not least because it merely confused Olakunde, who understood it not, and he delivered some looks of confusion before I reassured him and bade him to ignore Bono’s whimsies.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

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Related Words

• caprice
• fancy
• whim

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